The past three months.....

The last three months have been a flurry of activity with baseball, the end of school and preschool, and some fun times with cousins. Here's a quick recap in photos:

In April we surprised the boys and took them to a monster truck show. They LOVED it!




LOTS of time spent at the ballpark



Boys just being boys (and cute ones at that :))




Preschool graduation:



Cubscouts and the pinecar derby:



Cousins had a dance recital. They were so pretty and cute!



My niece went to her first prom and she was so beautiful. I was so glad we were there to see the girls and their big events this Spring!



And finally the cool waterslide at VBS:



After which they were covered in soap bubbles and looked like this:

It's been a great Spring and we are looking forward to making more memories this summer!

A New Year, more changes...

Is it really 2011? I am still in denial and continue to think 2010. So much has happened in 3 months I sometimes feel like I am in a time space warp. Still trying to catch up with myself :) There have been many changes in the Davis household. First, my grandmother went into the hospital on 12/31 because of back pain and difficulty breathing. I spent the next 18 days talking to her and planning a trip home to see her. Travel to the stormy northeast and leaving children behind is a difficult thing. All my plans were shattered as she died on the Tuesday of the week my sister and I planned to arrive. She had Stage 4 lung cancer which had spread to her bones and most of her body. I prayed for her comfort above all else and our wise and merciful God gave her just that, the best comfort there is by removing her from this life and allowing her to be with Him. Pain free, no more sadness, and the ability to be with her son, her daughter, her husband. My 6 year old summed it up best "Now she doesn't have to use her walker or wheelchair any more, does she mom?" I agreed and told him she might even be dancing as she had no more pain. So now it is just myself and my sister (and of course our families). God uses things for good and during the trip we met some incredible people. My sister and I got to know my grandmother's sister and we fell in love. She looks like my grandmother, has many of her maneurisms, and was so good to us in helping us sort through all of grandma's things. We formed an immediate bond which helped us through this difficult time. We also met some incredible folks who live in the retirement community. Senior citizens, disabled individuals, people with such a sweet spirit you cannot even imagine. I think of them often and know my grandmother was very blessed to be surrounded by such a great group of folks. I am so thankful we made it home this summer (see the 10/17 post about generations). I still have a hard time when I cannot pick up the phone to call her. Anyone who still has a mom, dad, or grandparent alive should be so thankful. There are people like me who would give anything for one more day, one more smile, one more memory. Too often familes fight and disagree over what amounts to nothing in the big picture. Cherish the amazing gift of family, it is one you can never replace once it is gone.

Our other major changes include Jim taking a new job where he will work in an office each day instead of in the field. It is a promotion for him and I am so so happy for him as I know it was his heart's desire. We also made a change in daycare and now have someone coming to the house each day to take care of the boys. They are so happy being in their own home. It has made my life so much easier by not having to load everyone up twice a day. Now my litte ones can sleep in if they want as well. We have loved the new change.

I find myself yearning not only for Spring but Summer. My grandmother told me days before she died that she wanted to see another summer. I understood this so well as it is truly one of my favorite times of year. No school, no homework for the boys, just the time to be children and play and explore. Family vacations, late nights, lots of time outside and some incredible family memories. Somehow there is a part of me that feels like I need to live this summer for Grandma as well, to truly experience life and appreciate what I have. To relax some more and enjoy my children. I hope that we are able to do that (and even more!).

We haven't taken many pictures lately so I'll just post a couple I didn't post earlier. Hope you and your family are having a good New Year.

Snow Days!

Yesterday we awoke to a beautiful site, snow!

A good time was had by all, big and little alike :)



No sound seems to come through but I assure you no children were harmed during the filming :) Daddy was making them laugh and he was smiling at the end as well :)

There were snow angels to be made:

Ready for the drop:


Today the snow stuck around so the boys enjoyed their new toy. Daddy bought this from a co-worker and didn't even tell Mom about it. I think he knew mom would not be as thrilled as he was. It screams danger and broken limbs but I hold my breath and pray on each outing :)
Christmas is the absolute best time of the year. Not only did we receive the best gift ever (Jesus) but each year I get the joy of having an entire week with my children with no agenda, no deadlines, just pure family bliss.

Fun on the farm: The best family vacation

This summer we stayed at a working farm in Pennsylvania. It was absolutely amazing! They stay booked and it is difficult to get time there in the summer as many families have been coming there for years. We were very blessed when they had a late cancellation. They have had families tell them that the children enjoy the farm more than Disney. In many ways I can see why. It is hard to put into words the magic of the farm. The atmosphere is relaxed and it is a lot of fun meeting other families and making memories with them. The kids have already asked when we can go back. The farm is run by a very sweet couple who love children. They serve a huge breakfast every morning that is made from scratch and is honestly one of the best breakfast meals I have ever had! Here is our farm adventure in pictures:



This is the cow barn. They have so many cattle that there usually is a pregnant cow and guests can see a cow giving birth:




Each morning after breakfast, the farmer would bring out the miniature horse named Cookie for the kids to ride. Cookie's best friend is a goat named Oreo who follows him everywhere!





Also after breakfast the kids could ride this cute train:


The farmer also took them for rides on his 4 wheeler and in a small wagon/cart he had made. Boys and things to ride go very well together :)



All the families sit together for breakfast. It is a great time of fellowship and the food is AMAZING!



If you get up early (which usually happens with our boys) the kids can get a chance to feed a baby calf who is just weeks old, they are so cute





The boys loved milking a cow, they did that at least a couple times each







This was their milking parlor, much more high tech than what I grew up with. The kids loved watching the big glass "jars" fill with milk:



Another favorite was getting eggs from the henhouse. There was one chicken who would try to protect her eggs and she would peck you. I called her "vicious chicken" which Jim thought was funny. I admit, I was scared of a chicken. On the last day I conquered my fears and took her eggs. She didn't peck hard so it didn't really hurt. The boys were so amazed that I did it but it also gave them the courage to try once I assured them the pecking did not hurt!





They had a very cute playhouse just outside the house where everyone stayed. This is a huge hit with kids:







Right next to the kids playhouse, was a little house for all the kitties :)





There were scooters and bicycles to ride and they rode around the farm:



There was also a hayride down the country roads which also went in 2 covered bridges(which I absolutely love). The scenery was georgeous. We even stopped at a yard sale along the way where I bought a beautiful painting of a Pennsylvania country farmhouse.




This was a huge Amish farm:


Inside one of the covered bridges:


There were corn fields as far as the eye could see:



There was also a smaller barn that housed the baby cows who were a little older than the ones the boys fed with a bottle:



An incredible time was had by all. I hope we get the opportunity to stay there again. I'd love to have cousins go with us, I know all the kids would have a blast!